Again my reading has lead me to a piece of information hitherto unbeknownst to me (WOW, where did I find those words? Move over Shakespear!!)

It concerns the organisation BSC, British Security Coordination, headed by Sir William Stephenson who created a Ships Observer network where every crew sailing out of Western Hemisphere ports had a 'spy" of sorts (crew member) who would report any suspicious (anti-allied) behaviour. I understand the first British seaman who was caught had sold convoy information to the German consulate in New York. Part of his payment was the guarantee that his ship would not be torpedoed. He was allowed to sail back to England, where he was promptly arrested by Scotland Yard and was later hung. (I have a vague feeling there was a movie called "A Man Called Intrepid", but I maybe wrong).

Now, does anyone know if this sort of thing was common on ships of other nationalities too, or was it mainly on British ships? And how were these 'agents' chosen?

Siri